Quick nod to Memorial Day

[TheNamelessPoet]

This is a good day to remember our history, the soldiers who fought for our freedom from the Revolutionary War to today. Those who served in times of peace and times of war. Those who died so that we can have the freedom to drink a latte at starbucks, visit (or not) the religious institution of our choice, to watch tv in peace and quiet, to argue over things on the sportsmogul forum, to live and die in freedom!

Having visited countries with far less freedom we Americans are truly blessed!

IF OFFENDED BY RELIGION DO NOT READ BELOW THIS LINE:

May God Bless the men and women who have served and our serving even now and keep those soldiers on the battlefield safe and secure!

I will drink to that Rick D... very well said. I think sometimes it is forgotten, those that died also in the Revolutionary war, and civil war. Those were also views as needless wars by many at the time. I will stop with that as i do not want to derail the thread either.

I just want to say to all those who have served and died or lived, you are a better man/woman than I. And we all owe you a big
THANK YOU

[RickD]

Agreed! I have many relatives buried at Arlington National Cemetery and it reminds me of the sacrifice made for our great nation.

THANK YOU TO THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE ARMED FORCES, THE SUPPORT STAFF AND EVEN TO OUR PRESIDENTS PAST WHO SERVED IN UNIFORM!

[ohms_law]

RAY, DAVID ROBERT

Rank and organization: Hospital Corpsman Second Class, U.S. Navy, 2d Battalion, 11th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein), FMF. Place and date: Quang Nam Province, Republic of Vietnam, 19 March 1969. Entered service at: Nashville, Tenn. Born: 14 February 1945, McMinnville, Tenn. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a HC2c. with Battery D, 2d Battalion, at Phu Loc 6, near An Hoa. During the early morning hours, an estimated battalion-sized enemy force launched a determined assault against the battery's position, and succeeded in effecting a penetration of the barbed-wire perimeter. The initial burst of enemy fire caused numerous casualties among the marines who had immediately manned their howitzers during the rocket and mortar attack. Undaunted by the intense hostile fire, HC2c. Ray moved from parapet to parapet, rendering emergency medical treatment to the wounded. Although seriously wounded himself while administering first aid to a marine casualty, he refused medical aid and continued his lifesaving efforts. While he was bandaging and attempting to comfort another wounded marine, HC2c. Ray was forced to battle 2 enemy soldiers who attacked his position, personally killing 1 and wounding the other. Rapidly losing his strength as a result of his severe wounds, he nonetheless managed to move through the hail of enemy fire to other casualties. Once again, he was faced with the intense fire of oncoming enemy troops and, despite the grave personal danger and insurmountable odds, succeeded in treating the wounded and holding off the enemy until he ran out of ammunition, at which time he sustained fatal wounds. HC2c. Ray's final act of heroism was to protect the patient he was treating. He threw himself upon the wounded marine, thus saving the man's life when an enemy grenade exploded nearby. By his determined and persevering actions, courageous spirit, and selfless devotion to the welfare of his marine comrades, HC2c. Ray served to inspire the men of Battery D to heroic efforts in defeating the enemy. His conduct throughout was in keeping with the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.

I'd just like to say that those of you looking to create some sort of petty political hay on the back of Petty Officer Ray's accomplishments, as well as the thousands of others who have died in the service of our nation...
You guys can go screw yourselves.

[OldFatGuy]

I'd just like to say that those of you looking to create some sort of petty political hay on the back of Petty Officer Ray's accomplishments, as well as the thousands of others who have died in the service of our nation...
You guys can go screw yourselves.

Making some sort of petty politcal hay on the back of thousands of Petty Officer Ray's is exactly what George W. Bush and Karl Rove did. And I agree, they can go screw themselves.

[TheNamelessPoet]

easy guys... this is not a political thread

[RickD]

Wow...we went from honoring troops to attacking a guy no longer in office. Your bias is showing guys.

Getting back on topic:

Our troops deserve a day where we, the citizens, can set aside our petty political posturing and say well done guys and gals. We are proud of you!

Let's leave the politics to another thread and another day!

[TheNamelessPoet]

Wow...we went from honoring troops to attacking a guy no longer in office. Your bias is showing guys.

Getting back on topic:

Our troops deserve a day where we, the citizens, can set aside our petty political posturing and say well done guys and gals. We are proud of you!

Let's leave the politics to another thread and another day!

how can an irrational person be so rational

glad to see at least you and I know how to honor those who gave us the right to even honor them



Even if you are a stinky no got rotten yankee fan

[Rongar]

And not to be antagonistic, really-I promise-but we should also remember those who gave their life for nothing more worthwhile than the love of greed or power.

As you say, Fil, and in the words of the old WW2 song "Bless 'Em All"!

[Rongar]

A great post from SirK...especially that moving poem...

[RickD]

how can an irrational person be so rational

Even if you are a stinky no got rotten yankee fan

Man don't ruin my rep I am not rotten! Irrational and stinky I can live with though it's almost time for my monthly bath!

[filihok]

I'd just like to say that those of you looking to create some sort of petty political hay on the back of Petty Officer Ray's accomplishments, as well as the thousands of others who have died in the service of our nation...
You guys can go screw yourselves.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...slaying07.html

A jury convicted a former soldier Thursday of raping and fatally shooting a 14-year-old girl after killing her parents and younger sister while he was serving in Iraq

What about those FEW that screw 14 year old girls after killing their parents? If only they would keep to screwing themselves.

And to clarify my original post I did not mean to imply that it was the soldiers with the love of greed and power (though some surely do), but those who sent these people to kill and be killed.

To forget or pretend that this doesn't exist, IMO, would be a disservice to those who have fought and to any future members of the US Armed forces who may be called upon.

[free2131]

Soldier Saves Three Lives in Philippines

Staff Sgt. Ruben D. Gonzalez, a deployed Army Soldier assigned to the U.S. Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines, was awarded the Soldier's Medal Dec. 2 for risking his life to save three Philippines college students from drowning.

My point... there are good heroic people in the military and there are assholes who throw puppies off of cliffs and that rape and kill people.

THIS DAY is for those good soldiers who lost their lives WHETHER OR NOT WE AGREE FOR THE REASONS THEY DIED.

Jesus Effing Christ guys, can we shut up for one day just to honor these people?

[guidi2009]

I just like to add my thanks to this thread. Bonehead Presidents carry no real burden on their shoulders when they make mistakes the military does. Both when we are in the right and wrong the military feels the burden and I thank them for that.

[ohms_law]

Nice. Real nice.
You're a jackass.

Jesus Effing Christ guys, can we shut up for one day just to honor these people?

Exactly. Thank you.

[filihok]

Nice. Real nice.
You're a jackass.

You are clearly a beacon of niceness yourself.

Just a reminder

Jesus Effing Christ guys, can we shut up for one day just to honor these people?

Exactly. Thank you.

Some people can honor by wearing their rose, white and blue colored glasses and practicing some sort of idol worship. Some of us show honor differently.

My point... there are good heroic people in the military and there are assholes who throw puppies off of cliffs and that rape and kill people

Exactly. Thank you.

My point. For every good heroic person in the US armed forces there is a good heroic person in the armed forces of some other geo-political region of the world. For every US soldier who lost their life there is another from somewhere else who lost theirs.